Heater for shaping woods



March 10, 1931. T. T. CHOY HEATER FOR SHAPING wooDS Filed June 8, 1929 jazz Y Y A TTORNE YS.

Patented Mar. 10, 1931 TSE T. CHOY, OF HONOLULU, TERRITORY OF HAWAII HEATER FOR kSHAIILNG? WOODS Application led .Tune 8, 1929. Serial No.` 369,487.

My invention relates to improvements in heaters for shaping woods, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements hereinafter described and claimed.

l An object of my invention is to provide a of wood and dispose it on a round support such as a pipe that is placed over an alcohol lamp flame, and then to bend the veneer into the desired curve while heating it with the lamp flame. Theheat given oi by the lamp is not sufficient to permit the quick shaping of the piece of veneer, and very often the veneer will be cracked on the inside due `to the to'o rapid bending. If the heat is made more intense, the veneer is often burned and must be discarded.

It is also the practice to let one workman make the middle curve in the piece of veneer and a. second workman make the end curves. This requires two dampenings of the veneer and takes considerable time.

The principal object of my invention is to overcome the above disadvantages and to provide a pair of heating surfaces curved iny a predetermined manner for forming the curves on the ukulele. These surfaces are heated by electricity to an extent that will, cause the quick bending of the veneer into the desired shape. One workman can make alloi the curves in the veneer, this requiring only one dampening. v

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section through the device, portions being shown in elevation;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the device, a portion of the casing being broken away;

Figure 4 shows the two pieces of veneer forming the sides of the ukulele; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of one of the heating members.

In carrying out my'invention I provide a base 1 upon which is mounted a casing 2, the

. latter being secured to the base 1 by screws 3 or other suitable fastening means. If desired, a layer of deadening material 4 may be dis posed between the casing and the base. This material may be made of asbestos for protecting the base.

The base is `of. the shape shown in Figures 1 and 3. The casing is substantially rectangular when taking a horizontal section through it, and it has a curved top. The top and sides of the casing are formed of one piece, and the edges of this piece are curved inwardly as at 5 for forming grooves that receive ianges 6 of the front and back walls 7 and 8 of the casing.

Within the casing I mount a tube 9 preferably made of copper. This tube is disposed in openings 10 and 11 in the front and back walls 7 and 8. These walls are also preferably made of copper. Within the tube 9 I mount a porcelain tube 12 and space this tube from the wall of the tube 9 throughout its entire length with the exception ofthe end 13 of the tube 12, which is enlarged sufficiently to fit snugly within the tube 9. In this way the tube 12 is supported.

A number 26 nichrome wire 14 is wrapped around the porcelain tube 12 in the manner shown in Figure 1. The wire 14 is covered with a sleeve 28 of treated cambric and mica. One end of this wire is connected to an asbestos-covered slow-burning wire by means of a connector 16. The other end of the wire 14 is connected to a wire 17 similar to the wire 15 by means of a connector 18. The wires 15and 17 lead from aporcelain plug 19 carried by the base 1. The plug may be connected to a 110 volt house current. It will be notedthat the tube 9 extend-s beyond the front wall v7 a considerable distance for a purpose hereinafter described.

Within the casing 2 I mount a second heating member and support it by means of the tube 9. Figure 3 shows this member 20 as being U-shaped, and Figure 1 shows how the member is constructed. The member has a copper sheet core 21. This is wrapped in a layer of asbestos 22, and around the asbestos I dispose a layer of mica 23 (note the enlarged section in Figure 5). A number 26 nichrome Wire 24 is Wrapped around the casing of mica, and the ends of this Wire lead from the heating member 2O as clearly shown in Figure 3. Vires 25 similar to the Wires 15 and 17 are connected to the Wires 2a and also to the plug 19. The wires 25 are passed through porcelain bushings 26 (see Figure l).

The wire 24 disposed around the layer ot mica 23 is covered by a sheet of mica 27 (see Figure This completes the entire construction of the heating` member 20. I have found that 31 turns Wire 9.4 is sufficient to produce the necessary amount of heat.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood.

The coil 14 and the coil 24 are connected in parallel to the house circuit. The reason for using tiro separate coils is that the tubular coil 14 must have a slightly diiierent degree ot heat than that given ott' by the body coil 24. The heat given ott' by these coils must not be high enough to burn the Wood?. 0n they other hand, it it is too low there will be a tendency for the workman to pull the two ends of the Wooden strip down about the tube 9 or the top of the casing 2 with too much torce in order to hasten the operation. This naturally would cause a crack or break to occur in the curve.

The sides ot the uhulele are provided with three curves lettered A, B and C in Figure 4l. The curves A and C are termed on the top of the casing Q, uhile the. curve E formed on the tube 9. The operator can dampen the strip of Wood 29 and first piace i. upon the tube rihe heat given oit' by the tube will cause' the Wood to i'ori'n in the curve B. The operator removes the strip .troni the tube 9 when the desired curre is formed.

iVithout re-campening the Wood, he now places one end upon the top of the casing, and the heat given oit by the heating member 2O and also the tube 9 will form the curve. A in the strip of wood 29. The curve' C can be likewise formed by disposing the other end oi" the Wood on the casing 20.

It Will be noted that the tube 9` acts as a support for the heating member 2O and also augments the heat gi Ven off by the member 20.

i*ilt-hough l have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of Various changes, and I reserve the right to employ such changesas may come within the scope of the invent-ion as claimed.

l claim:

1. A heater for shaping Woods comprising a heated form, a second form enclosing al portion of the first, and a heating member disposed between the second form and the first, both of said forms being adapted for shaping l the woods.

2. A heater for shaping Woods comprising a. heated form, a second form enclosing a portion of the first, and a heating member disposed between the second Yform and the first, both of said forms being adapted for shaping the Woods, said heating member being supported by said first form.

A. heater iter shaping Woods comprising a casing, a. heated form carried by said casing and projecting therefrom, and a heating member disposed between said form and said casing, said heated form and said casing being adapted tor shaping the woods.

4. A heater for shaping Woods comprising a casing, a heat-ed iorm carried by said casing and-projecting therefrom, and a heating member disposed between said form an d said casing', said heated torni and said casi-ng being adapted for shaping the Woods, said lieuting member being supported by said tirst form.

A heater tor shaping' Woods comprising a. casing haring a curved top, a tubular heatingr form carried by said casing and princeing therefrom, and a heating member dispose-d' between the form and the curved top of tbe wing, said curved top and said 'form being adapted for shaping the woods.

(3; heater for shaping Woo-ds comprising a c ng haringl a curved top, a tubular heating iorni carried by said casing and projecting therefrom, and a heating member disposed between the form and the curved top ot the casing, said curved top and said torni being adapted for shaping the woods, said heating member being supported by said iirst torni. i

i". A heater 'for sha-ping woods comprising a casing .having a curved top, a heating element carried by said easing and extendingr therefrom, an d a heating element disposed between the form and the curved top of the casing in parallel relation With the latter.

TSE T, CHOY. 

